Jan 5, 2026
The Commercial Drone Alliance is the leading advocacy organization representing domestic and allied commercial UAS manufacturers and operators in the United States. CDA’s focus is on restoring U.S. leadership in commercial drones, buttressing the domestic drone industrial base, and enabling scaled operations of commercial drones nationwide.
Over the last year, the CDA has worked closely with the White House on all manner of policy issues related to domestic drone innovation and security, and we share the Administration’s passion for strengthening the American commercial drone manufacturing and industrial capability. Reducing reliance on foreign adversary technology is essential to maintaining our national security and building a robust domestic industry.
Considering our alignment with the Administration on domestic drone issues to date, as well as the depth of relationships we have built with the offices and agencies involved in this policy space, we were surprised by the expansion of the FCC’s action to add unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and UAS critical components produced in any foreign country, rather than just certain foreign adversary produced drones, to the Covered List.
The scope of this action will create unnecessary challenges for American innovators without thoughtful implementation.
A broad prohibition that effectively cuts off critical components from even our closest allies risks disrupting critical operations, stalling innovation, inviting retaliation by trusted international trade partners, and weakening—not strengthening—U.S. national security.
This approach runs counter to the White House’s American Drone Dominance Executive Order, which calls for accelerating U.S. leadership, scaling domestic production, and enabling U.S. companies to compete globally. We share the Administration’s desire for a secure supply chain. The reality is that a fully domestic ecosystem cannot be achieved overnight and requires intentional engagement, investment, and planning across the Federal government and the industry.
We have critical questions about how broadly this action may be interpreted and the immediate consequences for the U.S. commercial drone industry, operators, and manufacturers working to scale responsibly and provide valued products and drone services. We are currently engaged with federal stakeholders to seek clarity and advocate for a transition plan that preserves our members’ ability to innovate domestically while addressing legitimate national security concerns in a targeted way.
The CDA consistently strives to be a voice for the commercial drone industry supporting safety, security, and innovation, as evidenced by our feedback and recommended actions in response to the Department of Commerce’s Section 232 National Security Investigation. We look forward to working with the Administration to address our members’ concerns and develop a path forward that preserves the opportunity for American innovation in advanced aviation technologies.
About CDA
The Commercial Drone Alliance (CDA) advocates on behalf of the domestic commercial drone industry to shape policies and standards that enable the sustainable, safe, and secure integration of scaled unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and related innovations into the National Airspace System.
CDA’s focus is to ensure that American commercial innovation, security, and entrepreneurship can thrive by restoring America’s global leadership in UAS and counter-UAS technologies. Our members believe in bolstering a strong domestic industrial base and commercial marketplace for UAS and counter-UAS technologies that promote long-term economic competitiveness, job growth, and national security.
Per CDA’s bylaws, all CDA member companies must be actively interested in the well-being of our nation’s commercial drone industry and engaged in the business of manufacturing drones for commercial use, providing goods or services to the commercial drone industry, or otherwise focused on moving the U.S. commercial drone industry forward. Entities listed on any U.S. Government list (U.S. Treasury Department, U.S. Commerce Department) which prohibit them from conducting business in the U.S. are not eligible for membership.
Read our comments and recommendations for buttressing the domestic industrial base in response to the Department of Commerce’s Section 232 National Security Investigation of Imports of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and Their Parts and Components.
CDA Comments on FCC's Action to Add Foreign Drones and Critical Components to its Covered List
Jan 5, 2026
The Commercial Drone Alliance is the leading advocacy organization representing domestic and allied commercial UAS manufacturers and operators in the United States. CDA’s focus is on restoring U.S. leadership in commercial drones, buttressing the domestic drone industrial base, and enabling scaled operations of commercial drones nationwide.
Over the last year, the CDA has worked closely with the White House on all manner of policy issues related to domestic drone innovation and security, and we share the Administration’s passion for strengthening the American commercial drone manufacturing and industrial capability. Reducing reliance on foreign adversary technology is essential to maintaining our national security and building a robust domestic industry.
Considering our alignment with the Administration on domestic drone issues to date, as well as the depth of relationships we have built with the offices and agencies involved in this policy space, we were surprised by the expansion of the FCC’s action to add unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and UAS critical components produced in any foreign country, rather than just certain foreign adversary produced drones, to the Covered List.
The scope of this action will create unnecessary challenges for American innovators without thoughtful implementation.
A broad prohibition that effectively cuts off critical components from even our closest allies risks disrupting critical operations, stalling innovation, inviting retaliation by trusted international trade partners, and weakening—not strengthening—U.S. national security.
This approach runs counter to the White House’s American Drone Dominance Executive Order, which calls for accelerating U.S. leadership, scaling domestic production, and enabling U.S. companies to compete globally. We share the Administration’s desire for a secure supply chain. The reality is that a fully domestic ecosystem cannot be achieved overnight and requires intentional engagement, investment, and planning across the Federal government and the industry.
We have critical questions about how broadly this action may be interpreted and the immediate consequences for the U.S. commercial drone industry, operators, and manufacturers working to scale responsibly and provide valued products and drone services. We are currently engaged with federal stakeholders to seek clarity and advocate for a transition plan that preserves our members’ ability to innovate domestically while addressing legitimate national security concerns in a targeted way.
The CDA consistently strives to be a voice for the commercial drone industry supporting safety, security, and innovation, as evidenced by our feedback and recommended actions in response to the Department of Commerce’s Section 232 National Security Investigation. We look forward to working with the Administration to address our members’ concerns and develop a path forward that preserves the opportunity for American innovation in advanced aviation technologies.
About CDA
The Commercial Drone Alliance (CDA) advocates on behalf of the domestic commercial drone industry to shape policies and standards that enable the sustainable, safe, and secure integration of scaled unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and related innovations into the National Airspace System.
CDA’s focus is to ensure that American commercial innovation, security, and entrepreneurship can thrive by restoring America’s global leadership in UAS and counter-UAS technologies. Our members believe in bolstering a strong domestic industrial base and commercial marketplace for UAS and counter-UAS technologies that promote long-term economic competitiveness, job growth, and national security.
Per CDA’s bylaws, all CDA member companies must be actively interested in the well-being of our nation’s commercial drone industry and engaged in the business of manufacturing drones for commercial use, providing goods or services to the commercial drone industry, or otherwise focused on moving the U.S. commercial drone industry forward. Entities listed on any U.S. Government list (U.S. Treasury Department, U.S. Commerce Department) which prohibit them from conducting business in the U.S. are not eligible for membership.
Read our comments and recommendations for buttressing the domestic industrial base in response to the Department of Commerce’s Section 232 National Security Investigation of Imports of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and Their Parts and Components.
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